This was another fabulous dinner at Del Posto, where I do many
of my tastings because wine service is so exceptional. We were treated to a
wonderful, delicious meal full of highlights. The pastas at Del Posto are
always terrific, as they were once again on this evening. The Caramelle with
Robiola in particular were superb. I also adored the Wood-Grilled Lobster;
easily one of the finest dishes being served in New York City today. The food
was very much the equal of the wines on the table, and that is the highest
compliment I can possibly pay considering the legendary wines we were
privileged to drink. As always, Del Posto’s staff did a fabulous job in meeting
all of our needs with regards to service of both food and wine, far from an
easy task with this group.

This was my first taste of the 2005 Montrachet from Domaine
de la Romanée-Conti. The 2005 is a big, explosive Montrachet layered with
luscious fruit. It is a spectacularly rich, intense wine that needs time to
come together. Stylistically, though, it was a little too much for my taste.
Perhaps the wine will settle down a bit in the coming years.

This bottle of Krug’s MV Rosé is believed to be a 1984 or
1985 disgorgement. It is an understated, pretty wine laced with ethereal fruit,
crushed flowers and sweet spices. I prefer the Krug Rosé at an earlier stage of
its development, but there is no question this is a lovely bottle. The MV
Private Cuvée, believed to be from the 1970s, is unbelievably vivid, with
gorgeous detail and integrity in its fruit, not to mention fabulous overall
balance. I don’t think too many of today’s Grand Cuvées – the modern-day
version of this wine – will age this well, but I would love to be wrong on that
point. Nevertheless, this is a stunning, deeply moving bottle. I am probably
the only person in the room who thinks the 1996 Krug Vintage is slightly
corked. Some of my friends find great pleasure in this wine, but I can’t get to
the same place. No such problems with the 1959 Krug Vintage, however,
which is simply fabulous. I am amazed by the freshness, nuance and flat-out harmony
of the wine as it takes shape in the glass. The clarity of the finish is
phenomenal. The 1989 Krug Collection is consistent with all of my
previous experiences with the wine. This is a pretty, understated Collection
with burnished, advanced flavors and a soft texture. It is best enjoyed sooner
rather than later.

Leroy’s 1966 Grands-Echézeaux is an exotic wine laced with star
anise, sweet spices and orange peel. It is a touch fragile at this stage, but
still quite beautiful, long and pure. The 1966 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Grands-Echézeaux is a towering Burgundy. Incredibly powerful and explosive,
it shows fabulous class and pedigree from start to finish. This is a majestic
wine by any measure. The 1966 La Tâche is prettier in its bouquet than
it is on the palate, where oxidative notes have begun to appear. The 1966 is a
touch dry on the finish, and is probably best enjoyed over the near-term.

The 1971 La Tâche is quite a bit more virile and powerful
than the 1966. This is a particularly expressive bottle with notable intensity
and a long, pure finish. The 1971 Romanée St. Vivant is another wine
that has entered its twilight. Pretty notes of cedar, tobacco and spices emerge
from this fading Burgundy. To be fair, others enjoyed this wine more than I
did. Having tasted several bottles recently, in my view the 1971 RSV is on the
cusp of being over the hill.

The 1971 Guigal La Mouline is fabulous. It shows
marvelous integrity, with layers of expressive fruit that caress the palate
from start to finish. Hints of tar and smoke add further shades of dimension on
the close. Amazingly, the 1971 comes across as having plenty of life ahead. The
1985 La Mouline is less impressive than the 1971. It shows plenty of
dark fruit but comes across as somewhat one-dimensional. Unfortunately, this
isn’t a great bottle.

A corked bottle of Giacosa’s1978 Barolo Riserva
Villero was a heartbreaker. We fared better with his 1985 Barbaresco
Riserva Santo Stefano, which was excellent, but not monumental. The glories
of this night clearly belonged to a handful of great wines from Krug and DRC.